


Riddles in Doriath

by Houseofhaleth



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Doriath, Ent - Freeform, Ents, Gen, Kids, Riddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-03-14
Packaged: 2018-01-14 15:52:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1272355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Houseofhaleth/pseuds/Houseofhaleth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elwing, Elured and Elurin meet an Ent in Doriath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Riddles in Doriath

Elwing wasn’t about to admit it. But she had absolutely no idea where to find the waterfall. Or even the path to the waterfall. She thought she had a rough idea, and her brothers had followed her with such open faith, she’d cheerfully led them off into the woods.

  She was almost certain she could find her way back, though. Very probably. She thought.

  ‘Are we nearly there?’ asked Elurin. 

   _I have no idea._ 'Nearly,' she said, lightly. This is ridiculous. You'd think a huge roaring waterfall woudl be easy to find.

  ‘I’m a bit tired,’ said Elurin, almost apologetically. ‘I do want to see the waterfall, but you said it wasn’t very far.’

  ‘It’s not. This isn’t very far at all, you’re just impatient.’ She didn’t know how long she could keep this up. Probably not long enough to accidentally stumble across the path. But she came from a stubborn family, and didn’t like to admit defeat.

  ‘We should ask Finglas,’ said Elured. He was looking into the trees, and didn’t seem bothered at all. 

  ‘Who…wait…the Ent? That would be wonderful, if we knew where any ents were. Also I know the way,’ she added, quickly. ‘So we don’t need help.’

  ‘Maybe he knows a shortcut, said Elurin, diplomatically.

  ‘Again, fantastic - but we don’t know where he is. Ents have wide territories you know.’

  ‘We know. But Finglas likes it here in the mornings, and he’s probably heard us tramping through his land,’ said Elured. ‘I’d like to talk to him anyway, even if we don’t find the waterfall today.’

  Elwing frowned slightly. ‘When did you talk to an ent?’

  ‘Not very long ago,’ said Elured.

  ‘I want to see him again too!’ said Elurin, eagerly. Elwing sighed.

  ‘Well, we don’t know where he is, so let’s just-‘

  ‘FINGLAAAAAAAAS!!!’ Elured roared, making the other two jump. The sound echoed off the distant trees…then silence.

  ‘Happy?’ Elwing asked, unimpressed.

  ‘He’s coming,’ said Elurin, with a smile. Elured grinned.

  ‘No he’s not, how do you-’ something creaked in the distance, then fell to the ground. Then something else, with a bushy wooden sound. ‘Oh,’ said Elwing, eyes widening. Another creak-thump, and it was impossible to deny - an ent was coming.

  The boys ran forward to meet him, and Elwing trailed behind. Through the trees she could just make out a figure with spindley limbs, taller than five of her father, branches swaying to make way for it.

  ‘Hello, Finglas!’ called Elured. A voice like falling timber and the wind in a hollow tree rumbled down from above.

  ‘Good morning, little Elf-shoots. And good morning, young Elf-sapling,’ he said, as Elwing appeared.

  ‘Elves don’t have shoots, Finglas,’ said Elured.

  ‘And yet here you are, sprouted from your mother and planted on the earth. You do like to run about on it, though.’

  ‘We’re called children,’ said Elwing. For some reason this caught the ent’s attention. His eyes, like the well at night, gleamed as if catching moonlight - staring at them, Elwing forgot for a moment it was morning.

  ‘Children,’ he repeated. ‘Yes, I know this word. A very good word. I remember the elf who taught it to me.’

  ‘Do you remember who taught you every word?’ Elurin asked.

  ‘Every word, yes, every elf, yes…but not always which word belonged to which elf,’ he confessed, bowing his leaf-crowned head so that it rustled.

  Elured reached up to touch the ent’s knobbled leg. ‘Can we play the guessing game again, Finglas?’

  ‘Do you have a word-picture for me?’ The ent rumbled, squatting lower.

  ‘Yes,’ said Elured, proudly. ‘Elurin thought of most of it.’

  ‘You can tell it, it’s your turn,’ said Elurin with a pleased smile. Watching them, Elwing felt strange. She’d been introduced to ents before, but when had her brothers made friends with Finglas like this?

  Elured stepped up to Finglas’ hand, and fingers like twisting branches wrapped carefully around him. Steadily, Finglas raised him to eye level.

  With a faint creak, the ent blinked, bark-like lashes rolling down then up. Elured took a breath:

  _‘I was born upon a tree,_

_I fell to the ground._

_Another tree in inside me,_

_What have I found?’_ he recited.

  ‘It’s about trees, for you!’ Elurin burst out.

  ‘Hmmmm,’ said Finglas, with a noise like boughs in a heavy wind. ‘This is hard, very, very hard…’

  ‘It’s not _that_ hard,’ said Elured.

  ‘Hummmm, hmm, you see – what’s _hard,_ Elfings, is that it could be many, many things,’ said Finglas.

  ‘Guess!’ said Elurin. Elwing shook her head.

  ‘You need to be more specific,’ she said. ‘It could be a nut, or a seed, or a pip or stone – you need to hint what kind of tree.’

  ‘Elwing don’t _tell_ him,’ Elurin hissed. But the ent was looking at her again, and nodding steadily.

  ‘Yes, yes…if I could only know what kind of tree you were born in, little riddle, then we could get somewhere, yes.’

  The boys looked at each other. ‘An oak tree,’ said Elured.

  ‘Aaaaahhhh. An oak tree, like many of my friends. Well then, Elfing, the answer is – an acorn.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Elured, suddenly shy.

  ‘Hoom! A tree riddle! That was very good,’ said Finglas. ‘I like acorns, indeed I do. Now I have a word picture for you.’ He placed Elurin down with a creak that was almost musical, and half-closed his eyes as he began:

_‘Where the river weeps,_

_And never ever sleeps;_

_Where the river roars,_

_And from the mountain pours;_

_There the mist and spray,_

_Will ever silver stay.’_

  Elurin bit his lip, and Elured frowned. Elwing blinked. ‘Oh. I know,’ she said. They  all looked at her. ‘It’s a waterfall,’ she said, sheepishly.

  Finglas rumbled with pleasure. ‘Yes, indeed, very good, little sapling! But I don’t think you’ll reach it today. It’s many days ride away.’

  ‘No. I suppose not,’ said Elwing. She really thought there was one closer…but Finglas would know. He must’ve heard them walking around looking for it, and made up his riddle.

  ‘Little Elfings, would you like to meet some of my oaks?’ Finglas asked.

  ‘Yes please,’ said Elured, reaching up. Finglas offered a finger, which Elured took hold of. Elurin reached to hold the ent’s other hand – but not before grabbing Elwing’s. He shot a smile at his sister as she found herself walking through the forest in a chain of four - three children and an ent.

  Looking up at the ent as he hummed to himself, to Elured as he tried to copy the melody in a far higher register, and to Elurin, jumping over a fallen branch and looking back at her…Elwing had to admit, she was glad they couldn’t find the waterfall.


End file.
